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Pillow breath
In 4 · out 6
Under stress, most of us stop breathing with the belly. We hold it in and breathe with the small muscles of the chest, neck and shoulders. Short, high breaths are the kind your body links with stress. A pillow on your belly gives the main breathing muscle, the diaphragm, something to push against, so you can feel it work again.
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How to do it
- Lie on your back, feet a little apart, arms by your sides, palms open. Sore lower back? Bend your knees or put a pillow under them.
- Put a pillow (or one or two books, or your hands) on your belly.
- Breathe out completely first. Let the belly go empty.
- Breathe in slowly through the nose, into the belly. Feel the pillow rise. Your sides and lower back widen too.
- Breathe out slowly through the nose. The pillow sinks.
- Chest, shoulders, face and jaw stay soft. Only the pillow moves.
- To finish, take the pillow off, let the breath go back to normal and roll onto one side.
Tips
- The pillow goes down when you breathe in? That's very common with stress. Breathe out first, slow down, and let the belly push the pillow up. It changes with practice.
- The pillow hardly moves? Normal at the start. Don't force it.
- About two-thirds of a full breath is enough. No need to fill up to the top.
- At bedtime: do it on your back, then roll onto your side to sleep.
Go gently
- Slow, but always comfortable. You should never feel out of breath.
- Dizzy? You're breathing too much. Stop and breathe normally.
Sources: Udemy pranayama course (pillow sessions) · Yogalap Basic session 1 · M. Pistono, Breathe How You Want to Feel, ch. 7 and 9.
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